Flames of War

Familiar Faces

Gwaine made his way to the royal quarters. When he knocked, Arthur shouted for him to enter. He found the king working at his desk.

“Gwaine,” Arthur said in surprise. “You're up early.”

“I could say the same to you,” Gwaine countered good-naturedly. He walked further inside and sat down across from the king nonchalantly. “I have a request.”

“You may not have the day off,” Arthur said, holding his hand up.

Gwaine chuckled. “Not my question, but good to know.”

Arthur gestured for him to continue as the king put down his quill pen and signet ring. He gave his full attention to the knight.

“There are two people I think you should consider especially for knighthood,” Gwaine started. “They are good men, and know how to fight. They're extremely loyal to Camelot and to you.”

“They definitely sound like they'd be worth looking at,” the king agreed. “What are their names?”

“The twins, Mark and Michael.”

“The servants?” Arthur looked surprised. “Yours and Tristan’s?”

Gwaine nodded.

“I don't know,” the king sighed. “The council will have a fit.”

“Can we afford to be picky in war?” Gwaine urged the king on. “With Morgana out there, we need every able body we have! Damn the council, and damn the rules.”

“Careful, Gwaine,” Arthur warned.

Gwaine laughed. “Oh come off it. You married a servant. It's not like you aren't against breaking the rules.”

With a dramatic eye roll, Arthur nodded. “True. Very well, but you're in charge of their training.”

“You want me in charge of them?” Gwaine flashed Arthur a conspiratorial smile. “Those two? Now you're just asking for trouble.”

“Don't make me regret this.”

Gwaine winked as he stood. Giving the king a mock bow, he sped out of the room and went to take his breakfast in his quarters. He looked forward to giving Mark the good news.

Meanwhile, Fira and Gaius reached the lower town and exited the gates of Camelot. The town was already bustling with activity. Kids ran to and fro, eager to see the newest caravan for the war effort. The entire clearing outside the Citadel and Camelot City was filled to the brim with tents for sleeping and stalls with food for the masses. The horse traders took up any remaining space with the thirty horses they’d brought in.

“Let’s start with the teenagers,” Gaius decided as he shuffled along with Fira. “The youngest of the group that is fit for fighting.”

Fira nodded. “Sounds like a good plan.”

They reached the tent allotted for them. A whole line of people had formed by ages. Sixteen was the cut off age for knight and guard recruits. Gaius and Fira took their seats at opposite ends of the tent and took patients one at time from these.

They finished the sixteen and seventeen year olds in an hour. Fira joked around with a boy her age when she finished and sent him out the door with a clean bill of health. She beckoned for the guard to let in her next patient. Her face turned white as sheet when she recognized the man.

“Mikhail.”

The young man stepped forward, wary of Fira. Memories flooded back to Fira’s mind, memories of her first month with the knights and serving Camelot. She and the knights had been on patrol when they stopped overnight at a cabin with a small family. The father of the family had been executed for magic some years before leaving three children and a widow. The middle child, a boy named Pavel, had attempted the kill Percival in revenge. Fira had used her magic to stop him. This made Mikhail, the oldest, a threat. He knew her secret and had every reason to expose her. Her face betrayed the terror in her heart.